Long Now

a being darkly always knows the sun will rise
winter come again in personless wrath summer
smile modeling ease and pleasure free for all

posterity will treasure what we were and made
even if no one notices now our effort rewarded
but the book of history is now coming to an end

a long now all we ever had to reckon by or up
we never were going to live forever one by one
pass into oblivion eternal return a dear illusion

meanwhile nothing more beautiful than music
Schumann imaging the very ebb and surge the
rush of blood lush imaginings of human mind

Begin Again

had I but known how
could it be any better
what happened had to
hearts broken shows
given children born

you learn something
but not the first time
make same mistakes
finally give it up for
dead sure now know

start with water count
seasons blessings no
wonder I get to be me
then forget forgotten
begin again at end

Special Bottles

I would like to drink more
but unfortunately I don't like the way it makes me feel
after the first rush that makes me want more
which is too much and makes me want to lie down

my parents were both more or less alcoholics
he had drunk in his flaming youth but given it up
before a cocktail party he liked to drink a cup of coffee
then confined himself to sips of Dubonnet

he might open a split of Champagne on a special occasion
or a half-bottle of red with dinner
kept a few special bottles no one was allowed to touch
the festivities were pretty restrained

she preferred the hard stuff
consoled herself with gin and vodka more and more as time went on
eventually almost entirely lost to smoking and drinking by herself
until she went gaga and forgot all about it

so perhaps it is fortunate I don't like the way it makes me feel

Fast Track

easier coming than going
just as far out of my mind
tripping on my own feet

brave dancers fill stage
manners trimmed in hair
although one was bald

fast track home via I-5
Pudding River prairies
satisfied that it's over

Three Caws

the bird is there I am trying to sleep
three caws pause three caws pause
what shall I do I am awake I open
the door the bird goes away I close
the window the bird quieter I sleep

Ask More

easy for me if you don't ask more
I don't want to know of course do
who can not admire the survivors

this awareness always with us is
what I meant when I said tell me
protected birth more than chance

it doesn't help them when I suffer
may do good to be happy as I am
telling you I know glad to miss it

Fluid Time

no blank silence is a word
nothing is empty if only air
biting fish await your hook
swimmers in fluid time we
can simply be here together

Clear Around

curiously each wants to be himself
embodying his history family time
original only when he wants to be

gladly receives approval of efforts
giving all he has wishing for more
be more completely real and true

only who he is trying to succeed
we all need help and deserve it is
there enough to go clear around

Little Better

am I still who I was
or is he gone for good
as if nothing was said
no one was listening

regrettable ignorance
and little better now
when conversation is
someone else talking

let me acknowledge
I must have learned
some shard of truth
penetrated even me

This Kiss

whether each word means as much as you think
each note in the right place essential each action
indelible whether this opinion finally convinces
this kiss expresses all the love I genuinely feel

these are the questions that make you wonder
am I the one are you can we make a difference
do the fastest talkers necessarily win the prize
have we given up on progress will we survive

Brute Ambition

how Beethoven makes his way home
as fresh today as when he was living
Vienna still there because of music

how can I care about these issues
redefined every day the same stiff
subjects gnawing at their own feet

nature art love the only true reward
hard work sense of accomplishment
closeness to your near and dear ones

time the lethal term in the argument
who will win what 47% talk about
dumb stubborn blind brute ambition

Just You

everything matters more than it seems to
be just me just you effacing for survival
even if not immediately threatened

so we say less than we would mean if we
found a way to what we really think of it
too awful to be faced and why do it

too busy to think instead seemingly full
of years we barely remember who cares
to tell what happened before the end

Awful Friends

no bacteria in the pears we
do our best we pity the poor
Lambs their awful friends
ours less trouble or present
poets of less pressing need

painting hurts my piano arm
fingers protesting the brush
my eyes the white too white
the sunlight overrewarding
as we fall toward fall rain

most chores get done not
fine weeding if our farm is
"scruffy" too no matter we
work it ourselves do other
things too what do you think

Serious Question

if you do it it's what you do
no one else doing it only you

then things happen I'm lucky
they happen to someone else

my hard choices really easy
what to wear eat see where

when is the serious question
not whether or someone else

Good Boy

everything I can think of slowly
meanwhile mop my studio floor
make a perfect dinner for three
and clean it up still a good boy

the women can talk for hours
despite oxygen limits sweating
horses need for tires bad news
everything equally interesting

Show Real

sit here eyes closed and tingle
buzzing night warm soft chair
reading Piscator world at war
the body all nerve and energy

not my way it's great anyway
we can be true vision theatre
as useful show real situation
epic transformations at work

not my chaos wash windows
pick berries play Schumann
Haydn brilliance enraptured
sensation trumps every idea

In Time

don't forget the stars still
disinterestedly pursuing
inconceivable meanings

they look slow because
we live so quickly race
to do everything in time

what moves or doesn't
is the great distinction
whether alive or not

No Regret

not a day without a word a sigh
a memory not as sweet as this

no regret but time in its passing
giving and taking away youth

no one knows better than you
what most matters in your heart

no authority but feeling needed
loved the way you really are

Seriously Funny

considering what might be said
the various words referential
reifying trivia is less troubling

for instance panic with no out
or treating people like animals
animals like insensible food

the poets read seriously funny
dozens attend their exquisite
whimsy coolest way to see it

More Satisfying

complications make it more satisfying
when you finally get to that big F major
nothing like Brahms for complications

As Usual

I can't vote for drone strikes
I don't want to think about it
I'll cast my vote against war
business as usual plutocracy
although I do fairly well for
a peace and justice candidate

they say they are different
but agree on the billions for
banks weaponry surveillance
war fairness for corporations
revolving doors central money
count my vote against all that

I won't vote for war on drugs
corporate media spinning glib
liberal articulateness covering
known cooperation with power
light shines on beauty as well
as truth chooses what will be

Hollow Cheer

New York is over funny how
everything else follows a long
reversing curve New York first

no one cares about spelling
grammar literary form rich
famous only measure laughs

hollow cheer as if bright light
is a right as if no dark night
as if all this will last forever

Silk Shirt

work grabs me I like that
feeling deal with it don't
blow it off play solitaire

I missed the fourth set of
Federer-Berdych too bad
but my email was full up

then it's over and I didn't
do my ironing instead I'm
writing this in a silk shirt

Good Stuff

if I could sing I would express different feelings
feel different emotions pour out my open heart
if I could paint I would show what is beautiful
instead I stumble through Beethoven marveling

the politicians never mention art the only thing
I care about the only thing that matters in the end
as if a culture measured in celebrity and money
is enough good stuff prized by a powerless elite

it's there incredibly excellent but nobody cares
the news is always something more practical
killing starvation disasters disease who knows
what we might be missing timeless revelation

Learning Curves

change partners holiday over back
to normal parameters easy effort
drives continuous learning curves

training tunes reflexes improves
hoped-for accuracy of aim and
nuance proving curly formulae

for fun we sit and read together
quietly happy know it can't last
smile eyes open hearts enlarged

Sound World

explicit licking opened a sound world
touching my hair with its dirty wings
sensation combined with static thought

such were the children in camouflage
learning to be men defined by killing
animals for food for family following

night comes earlier the chickens roost
before I finish dinner we quietly read
and write while the whirlwind blows

Always More

if you say everything nothing will be left
and it's too sad but if you don't you lie or
are copping out so you say what you can
it will have to do but don't imagine it is
adequate to the situation even personally
there is always more until there is none
see what I mean every word I can utter
goes down gently without feeling worse